Ansamycin Antibiotics as Free Radical Scavengers Isolated from Streptomyces by Using the Bactericidal Action of the Hydroxyl Radical

Ansamycin antibiotics (1–4) were isolated from the cultured broth of Streptomyces sp. USF-319 strain as a result of our screening for free radical scavengers. They inhibited the bactericidal effect of the Fenton reagent toward Bacillus subtilis by their radical scavenging activity. Some of them also showed inhibitory activity against lipid peroxidation and lipoxygenases.     

Inhibition of the heterotetrameric K+ channel KCNQ1/KCNE1 by the AMP-activated protein kinase

Abstract

The heterotetrameric K⁺-channel KCNQ1/KCNE1 is expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, liver and several epithelia including the renal proximal tubule. In the heart, it contributes to the repolarization of cardiomyocytes. The repolarization is impaired in ischemia. Ischemia stimulates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a serine/threonine kinase, sensing energy depletion and stimulating several cellular mechanisms to enhance energy production and to limit energy utilization. AMPK has previously been shown to downregulate the epithelial Na⁺ channel ENaC, an effect mediated by the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2. The present study explored whether AMPK regulates KCNQ1/KCNE1. To this end, cRNA encoding KCNQ1/KCNE1 was injected into Xenopus oocytes with and without additional injection of wild type AMPK (AMPKα1 + AMPKβ1 + AMPKγ1), of the constitutively active ^γR70QAMPK (α1β1γ1(R70Q)), of the kinase dead mutant ^αK45RAMPK (α1(K45R)β1γ1), or of the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2. KCNQ1/KCNE1 activity was determined in two electrode voltage clamp experiments. Moreover, KCNQ1 abundance in the cell membrane was determined by immunostaining and subsequent confocal imaging. As a result, wild type and constitutively active AMPK significantly reduced KCNQ1/KCNE1-mediated currents and reduced KCNQ1 abundance in the cell membrane. Similarly, Nedd4-2 decreased KCNQ1/KCNE1-mediated currents and KCNQ1 protein abundance in the cell membrane. Activation of AMPK in isolated perfused proximal renal tubules by AICAR (10 mM) was followed by significant depolarization. In conclusion, AMPK is a potent regulator of KCNQ1/KCNE1.     

New trends in peptide-based anti-biofilm strategies: a review of recent achievements and bioinformatic approaches

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have a broad spectrum of activity and unspecific mechanisms of action. Therefore, they are seen as valid alternatives to overcome clinically relevant biofilms and reduce the chance of acquired resistance. This paper reviews AMPs and anti-biofilm AMP-based strategies and discusses ongoing and future work. Recent studies report successful AMP-based prophylactic and therapeutic strategies, several databases catalogue AMP information and analysis tools, and novel bioinformatics tools are supporting AMP discovery and design. However, most AMP studies are performed with planktonic cultures, and most studies on sessile cells test AMPs on growing rather than mature biofilms. Promising preliminary synergistic studies have to be consubstantiated and the study of functionalized coatings with AMPs must be further explored. Standardized operating protocols, to enforce the repeatability and reproducibility of AMP anti-biofilm tests, and automated means of screening and processing the ever-expanding literature are still missing.     

Structural and Functional Comparison of Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes

Sugar molecules as well as enzymes degrading them are ubiquitously present in physiological systems, especially for vertebrates. Polysaccharides have at least two aspects to their function, one due to their mechanical properties and the second one involves multiple regulatory processes or interactions between molecules, cells, or extracellular space. Various bacteria exert exogenous pressures on their host organism to diversity glycans and their structures in order for the host organism to evade the destructive function of such microbes. Many bacterial organism produce glycan-degrading enzymes in order to facilitate their invasion of host tissues. Such polysaccharide degrading enzymes utilize mainly two modes of polysaccharide-degradation, a hydrolysis and a β-elimination process. The three-dimensional structures of several of these enzymes have been elucidated recently using X-ray crystallography. There are many common structural motifs among these enzymes, mainly the presence of an elongated cleft transversing these molecules which functions as a polysaccharide substrate binding site as well as the catalytic site for these enzymes. The detailed structural information obtained about these enzymes allowed formulation of proposed mechanisms of their action. The polysaccharide lyases utilize a proton acceptance and donation mechanism (PAD), whereas polysaccharide hydrolases use a direct double displacement (DD) mechanism to degrade their substrates.     

抗菌肽及其工业应用前景

抗菌肽是生物体内经诱导产生的一种对抗外源性致病菌作用的防御性小分子多肽,广泛存在于动植物和微生物体内。其分子量一般在4000Da左右,带正电荷,由30～40个氨基酸组成。抗菌肽一般都具有耐热性,100℃温度下活性最长可保持30min以上。抗菌肽具广谱抗菌活性,通过破坏细胞膜等作用,可以抑制革兰氏阴性菌、革兰氏阳性菌、真菌,有些抗菌肽还具有抗原虫、病毒及抗癌功能。抗菌肽在工业应用中展示出了广阔的前景。     

昆虫抗菌肽的生物学特点及药物研发进展

昆虫抗菌肽是由昆虫细胞特定基因编码、由细胞核糖体合成的,具有体液免疫功能的一类碱性多肽,对细菌、真菌、病毒和原虫,甚至癌细胞都具有杀伤作用,有望开发成为新一代的抗菌药物。随着抗菌肽家族的不断扩大,其各方面的研究也日益深入。简要综述了昆虫抗菌肽的种类及结构特点、作用机制、生物活性、构效关系、药物开发情况。     

植物乳杆菌素L-1对单核细胞增生李斯特氏菌作用机理的研究

以凝胶层析纯化的植物乳杆菌素作用单核细胞增生李斯特氏菌,结果表明该细菌素可以导致能量化的敏感细胞胞内K 、无机磷离子、乳酸脱氢酶、紫外吸收物质和ATP发生不同程度的泄漏,相应地破坏了膜Δψ和部分ΔpH,引起PMF的耗散,结果导致细胞的死亡。综合所测指标,可以推测植物乳杆菌素L-1对单增李斯特氏菌的作用目标主要是细胞膜,通过形成非选择性孔洞使得选择性离子和小分子生命物质外泄,从而打破原有平衡,最终引起细胞的衰亡。     

Ecdysterone antagonism,mimicry, and synergism of juvenile hormone action on the Monarch butterfly reproductive tract

Previous research on Monarch butterflies has shown that juvenile hormone (JH) stimulates the development of the ovary and certain reproductive glands of both sexes. Ecdysterone injections into intact Monarchs demonstrate that low doses of this hormone inhibit ovarian development, and higher doses stimulate the male and female reproductive glands. In addition, experiments using neckligatured adults show that ecdysterone stimulates the reproductive glands of both sexes, in the apparent absence of JH, with the most pronounced effect being observed on the female colleterial gland. Other studies with neck-ligatured animals demonstrate that ecdysterone also synergizes with JH on the female gland and all three male glands. The feasibility of using Monarch reproductive glands for studies on the mode of action and interaction of JH and ecdysterone, and the possibility of a rôle of ecdysterone in the normal regulation of Monarch oögenesis, are discussed.     

Photophosphorylation and related properties of reaggregated vesicles from spinach Photosystem I particles

The small Photosystem I particles prepared from spinach chloroplasts by the action of Triton X-100 (TSF 1 particles) reaggregate into membrane structures when they are incubated with soybean phospholipids and cholate and then subjected to a slow dialysis. The membranes so formed are vesicular in nature and show the capability of catalyzing phenazine methosulfate-mediated cyclic photophosphorylalation at rates which are usually about 20% of those observed with chloroplasts, but higher rates have been obtained. When coupling factor is removed from the chloroplasts by treatment with EDTA, a requirement for coupling factor can be shown for the subsequent ATP formation. The uncouplers carbonylcyanide 3-chlorophenyl-hydrazone, valinomycin, Triton X-100 and NH⁺₄ are effective with the reformed vesicles, which do not show the typical light-induced pH gradient observed with chloroplasts. Incubation of the TSF 1 particles with phospholipids alone allows for the formation of membrane vesicles, but such vesicles are only slightly active in ATP formation. In most properties investigated, the reformed membrane vesicles resemble the original chloroplast membrane so far as phenazine methosulfate-mediated cyclic photophosphorylation is concerned, which indicates a high degree of selectivity in the reaggregation process. The major difference between chloroplasts and the reformed vesicles is the failure of the latter to show a light-induced pH gradient.